HUNDREDS of spectators lined the roads to cheer on the 641 runners who completed the Deane DLO Taunton 10k race on Sunday.

Winner of the popular annual run was Daniel Cahill, from Ilminster, in a personal best time of 33 minutes and 49 seconds.

Just eight seconds behind in second place was Taunton School student Alex Male, who in turn pipped Tiverton's Christian Hewitt by just one second.

The top woman runner was Hannah Taunton, from the Taunton Athletics Club, who completed her fastest ever 10k in 36 minutes 42 seconds as she came in 13th overall.

The second woman was Serane Stone, from Tiverton, in 37 minutes 37 seconds, with Kate Drew third 22 seconds behind.

Catching his breathe after leading the field over the finish line, Daniel Cahill said it was the first time he had takn part in the event.

He added: "I was just trying to run a personal best, which I achieved.

"I've put in months of hard training, running 40 or 50 miles a week.

"I'll be back to defend my title next year.

"It's a fantastic race, well organised and well marshalled, with a great group of runners."

Top woman runner Hannah Taunton, who also clocked a personal best, said: "The conditions were perfect.

"I've been doing the race since 2010 and was really pleased.

"My times are getting better all the time and I've been putting in a lot of speed training.

"It feels great being the first woman home in my home town."

The 32nd 10k race, which started and finished at the Better's Blackbrook Pavilion and took the runners out into the countryside, was organised bt Taunton Carnival Committee.

Most of the participants were local runners, while clubs from the area fielded around 200 runners and 30 staff from Taunton Deane's One Team took part in memory of former parks manager Cyril Rowe, who died earlier this year.

A team of volunteers helped set up the race and marshal the runner and race director John Lewis was delighted with the way everything went.

He said the 700 available places were snapped up before the deadline for entries, with around 650 gong under starter's orders.

He added: "The conditions were very good - not too hot, very little wind, nice and dry and it was good to see some personal bests."

FASTEST TEN RUNNERS:

1 Daniel Cahill, Minster Milers, 33 minutes, 49 seconds.

2 Alex Male, Taunton School, 33.57.

3 Christian Hewitt, Tiverton Harriers, 33.58.

4 Paul Cooke, South Molton Strugglers, 33.58.

5 Wayne Loveridge, Chard Road Runners, 34:02.

6 Gwylym Gibson, South West Road Runners, 34.05.

7 Peter Monaghan, Torbay AAC, 34.11.

8 Ben Hawkins, Taunton AC, 34.39.

9 Philip Roberts, Taunton AC, 35.43.

10 Miko Cadeddu, South West Road Runners, 36.13.

See the complete results at countygazette.co.uk